President Donald Trump said Monday that he had nothing to do with the federal search of Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Washington home, telling reporters the matter is “really up to the DOJ” as he departed the White House for a campaign rally in Youngstown, Ohio.
What happened
- Homeland Security Investigations agents executed a judicially authorized search warrant at the Minnesota Democrat’s Washington-area home early Monday, Oct. 12.
- A Justice Department spokesperson confirmed the search was part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation, but offered no details about its focus.
- Omar, who is running for re-election, called the search political intimidation and said she has done nothing wrong. “I will not be silenced,” she wrote.
Why it matters
The search of a sitting member of Congress, 22 days before the midterm elections, drew sharp condemnation from Democratic leaders, who questioned both its timing and its purpose. A search warrant does not establish wrongdoing, and Omar has repeatedly denied the immigration-related allegations that administration officials have raised against her.
Video: The White House (public domain). Full coverage: Federal agents search Rep. Ilhan Omar’s home